Tuesday, November 30, 2004

The Devil in the White City (book review)

The Devil in the White City (2003), by Erik Larson. The author brings to life Chicago in 1893, the World's Fair held there that year, and a chilling serial killer who inhabited Chicago while the fair was going on. Best of all, it's a true story. One of the better books I've read this year. It's rather long, but nevertheless makes for a quick read. Grade: B+

Secret Things (DVD movie review)

Secret Things (2002), in French with English subtitles. Drenched in sex, this French comedy-thriller features a cast no American is likely to recognize. It walks a fine line between porn and art, and would certainly get an NC-17 rating if it were made or distributed in the U.S. That aside, it's pretty good fun as two young women explore their sexuality, then try to exploit it in the business world, with disastrous results. Grade: B

Monday, November 29, 2004

Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind (DVD movie review)

Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind (2004) starring Jim Carrey, Kate Winslet. Interesting story about lovers who break up, then decide to have their memories of each other erased by a hole-in-the-wall company named Lacuna Inc. Some great mental gymnastics and interesting use of special effects make this an engaging tale about love and how two people may just be meant to be together. Good performances by the stars, too. Grade: B+

Saturday, November 27, 2004

Behind the Scenes at the Museum (book review)

Behind the Scenes at the Museum (1995) by Kate Atkinson. The multi-generational story of a family and its foibles in York, England. Ruby Lennox, the protagonist, tells of growing up poor in a dysfunctional family, complete with poor parenting, infidelity, and living above a pet shop in a dwelling called Above the Shop. The house is inhabited by ghosts, and Ruby's life is scarred by Pearl, her lost twin. With all the tragedy of their lives, the book is filled with an underlying humor and warmth. It's a bit of a challenge for American readers because of the British vernacular and cultural references, but a worthwhile read. Grade: B.

Thursday, November 18, 2004

Elf (DVD movie review)

Elf (2003) starring Will Ferrel. Boy, is this movie a disappointment. It may appeal to grade-school kids, but there's nothing here for the discerning adult. It's not a family movie, in the sense of a movie that appeals to kids but has another layer of meaning for adults. There is no other layer of meaning, just a really dumb plot and lousy special effects. Grade: D

Sunday, November 14, 2004

A Million Little Pieces (book review)

A Million Little Pieces (2003) by James Frey.
Harrowing memoir of Frey's stay in a drug rehab center and the pain of his improbable recovery. Intensely emotional, intensely descriptive, at times this book is almost too painful to read. It kept me interested, however, and I would recommend it to anyone who is looking for something a little off the beaten path. Grade: B

Sunday, November 07, 2004

Hot Plastic (book review)

Hot Plastic (2004) by Peter Craig. Fascinating story about a "family" of con artists who travel throughout the country and even to Europe in an attempt to keep the grift alive. The main con they run is in fake credit cards, hence the title of the book. Their adventures are made interesting by vividly portrayed characters, and an inside look at the many ways in which people can be tricked out of or just plain robbed of their money. Grade: A-

Saturday, November 06, 2004

Eye of the Needle (DVD movie review)

Eye of the Needle (1981) starring Donald Sutherland, Kate Nelligan. Sutherland is compelling as the icy Nazi spy who has information that can turn the war around. Nelligan is convincing as the lonely, sexually frustrated woman who inhabits the island where he is stranded. Grade: B+

Friday, November 05, 2004

Swimming Pool (DVD movie review)

Swimming Pool, starring Charlotte Rampling and Ludivine Sagnier. The young actress Sagnier is the chief attraction in this Hitchcock-esque tale about a writer (Rampling) who is loaned a French country house by her publisher so that she can get away from England and get some writing done. Soon Sagnier, as the publisher's daughter, shows up and events take off on an ever-escalating binge of sex and, eventually violence. But what is real, and what is in the writer's imagination? We don't find out until the final scene. Pay close attention. Grade: A-

Sexy Beast (DVD movie review)

Sexy Beast, starring Ben Kingsley. Kingsley, who once played Ghandi, comes full circle in his menacing portrayal of a violent thug in "Sexy Beast." The movie is set in Spain and England, with Kingsley portraying a crook sent to recruit a reluctant, "retired" criminal to help in a heist. The heavy use of British dialects makes the subtitle feature of the DVD very handy. Grade: B